Suffolk County GOP Chairman John LaValle reckons "the process will probably be wrapped up within a matter of days."

ALBANY — The state GOP nominating convention is not until late May, but a key county Republican chairman said the bid for the governor’s line could be over within days.

Suffolk County GOP Chairman John LaValle said the momentum is for Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro, who won a straw poll Friday among state and county party leaders after telling them he is re-entering the race.

Senate Deputy Majority Leader John DeFrancisco, who until Friday had been seen as the Republican front-runner, plans to take his case to the state party convention in May, his consultant, Michael Lawler, insisted Sunday.

But LaValle, whose county makes up 10% of the weighted voted at the convention, believes the nomination will be wrapped up for Molinaro long before then.

“It appears without question the process will probably be wrapped up within a matter of days because we need to start piecing a ticket together,” said LaValle, who is backing Molinaro. “I think it’s highly likely the way things are transpiring.”

A second prominent county chairman, who asked to remain anonymous, agreed. He said all eyes are on powerful Nassau County Chairman Joseph Mondello and state Conservative Party Chairman Michael Long. If one or both come out for Molinaro, it would realistically end DeFrancisco’s fading chances, the chairman said.

“I think this could move very, very quickly,” he said.

Long said he'll wait a week or so to let things shake out before discussing the situation with his executive committee.

Lawler called the GOP straw poll “an attempted coronation rather than Marc participating in the process like every other candidate.”

Molinaro has not publicly announced his candidacy nor has he participated in county candidate forums to date.

DeFrancisco in a surprisingly angry address to state and county GOP leaders on Friday lambasted the process and questioned Molinaro’s commitment to the race and fund-raising prowess, according to those in attendance.

“DeFran was extraordinary grumpy,” said one county chair. “He was really nasty. He got into the room ... and his message basically was ‘shove your straw poll up your a-.’ ”

Dutchess County Executive Marcus Molinaro won a straw poll Friday after telling state and county party leaders that he is re-entering the race for the Republican nomination for governor.

Molinaro got 55 votes of those in the room, DeFrancisco 23 and former state housing commissioner Joseph Holland just 5. However, just 83 of the 453 people who would have been eligible to cast a ballot were in attendance.

Various chairmen said the results were even worse for DeFrancisco since the poll did not use the weighted formula that will be relied upon at the convention. Big Republican counties like Suffolk, Erie, Monroe and Saratoga all went for Molinaro.

“DeFrancisco was traveling the state the past five or six weeks and just couldn’t close the deal,” a county leader said.

Meanwhile, LaValle said he’d like to see Holland on the ticket as the GOP candidate for lieutenant governor or attorney general.

“He’s very impressive,” LaValle said. “His resume is phenomenal and he’s an African-American Republican. It sends the proper message to New Yorkers across the state that the Republican Party has an open tent.”

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With just six months to go before the primary, time is starting to run short for progressive Democrats hoping for an opponent to take on Gov. Cuomo.

Only former Hudson Valley state Sen. Terry Gipson has declared his intention to challenge Cuomo — and he has generated little enthusiasm.

Actress Cynthia Nixon and former Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner are still considering runs, but neither has set a timetable on a decision, insiders say.

The clock is ticking.

“March is important. People can choose to run whenever they want, but it’s getting late,” said one progressive leader.

Senate Deputy Majority Leader John DeFrancisco, seen as the Republican front-runner until Friday, was said to be unhappy about the focus on Molinaro.

Noting his group has 32 chapters statewide, Schwartz argues Williams starts with a field operation that could also prove beneficial to a Cuomo primary challenger.

The New York Progressive Action Network has also become an affiliate of the minor Working Families Party, which is considering whether to back a potential Cuomo challenger in the primary and general elections.

Cuomo campaign chairman Bill Mulrow downplayed talk of a primary, saying the governor polls well among Democrats and self-described liberals and has built a progressive record with passage of the tough SAFE Act gun control law, legalization of same-sex marriage, enactment of a $15-an-hour minimum wage, creation of a statewide paid family leave program and a free college tuition program for some students.

“We look forward to building on this record in term three,” he said.

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Conservative Party chair Long has a plea to Reform Party Chairman and radio talk show host Curtis Sliwa: If you really want to defeat Cuomo in November, work with the Conservative and Republican parties.

“I know Curtis doesn’t like Andrew Cuomo. The best way to dethrone him is to form a coalition with the Conservative Party and Republican Party,” Long said.

Long fears a separate Reform Party candidate could siphon needed votes from a joint Republican-Conservative candidate.

Sliwa called Long’s comments “the old-school way of thinking” and said he’s not looking to cut a “backroom deal.”

“The Reform Party will continue its candidate process — including a scheduled March 15 candidate debate for those seeking the line — before the executive committee decides who to give the line to,” he said.